The Daily Habit That Could Help Deal With Depression Or Anxiety

While there’s no replacement for medication and therapy, there are some habits that might help if you’re struggling with your mental health.

One thoughtful guy has taken to Reddit to share one of the simple ways he tries to help his girlfriend who suffers from crippling anxiety and depression.

“I saw this idea somewhere online and decided to make her something like it,” Reddit user bodaveez wrote.

The idea was a jar filled with affirmations written on colourful paddle pop sticks.

“Each ‘category’ is colour coded so for example orange are inspirational quotes from poets, political figures, philosophers, and humanitarians across time,” he wrote in a follow up comment.“Yellow reminders are positive words to help you through the day things like ‘you’re beautiful’ and ‘it’s OK to ask for help’ the purple ones are tips to help her relax things like ‘take a break’ while she’s working on her Masters or ‘listen to your favourite song.’”

He also put pen in the jar with some blank ones so she could write her own when she was feeling happiest and could look back on those moments, too. “She sometimes gets so caught in what she’s doing, she becomes overwhelmed and doesn’t even realise it,” he wrote in a Reddit comment. “I’m hoping that this will help her. Even a little is a lot.”

If you or someone you know needs help, you can speak confidentially to a trained counsellor 24 hours a day at headspace.org.au or Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800.